Perhaps you Were Right...

[Asparuh Zhefarovich III]

“Another engagement. Her name had been on here for a while, but it is a half-blood,” answered the Patriarch. Arnost could handle that side of his family. Demitris would have to come up with a good explanation as to why he is marrying a half-blood. Sure enough, she wasn’t hideous, but maybe she was just talented at something. Asparuh would have to meet her face-to-face soon enough. There was no avoiding what is to be done one you enter in the family. The famous brand. The one that could bring enough pain to make a man cry. Why no one asked to be numbed is beyond Asparuh. Not even Nataliia. Asparuh was rather proud that no one really asked to be numbed. It just showed that they were brave…or foolish. Whichever the case.

Asparuh glanced down at her, and he smirked slightly. At least he did not need to explain to her what he meant by distractions. “I have sought out new people to fulfill the roles, but both of which have failed me completely. Neither seem…worthy enough to step up to the plate as Liyla had.” Asparuh glanced at the tree once more, and saw Liyla’s name, her birth date as well as her death date. It was almost a tragedy to lose someone that was used as a distraction from the stresses of being a Patriarch. All that would be over soon. It wouldn’t be long until Asparuh handed the responsibilities over to Kalif, and he would become the new Patriarch, whereas Asparuh would become the Progenitor-Patriarch. It was almost the exact same as the Patriarch, but others had to go speak to that one, and if that one ever needed help, he would seek out the Progenitor-Patriarch. It was a stair system. People went to the Head, who went to the Patriarch and then they often go to the Progenitor-Patriarch. Asparuh had to wait until Kalif was ready. “I know of no one who can replace Liyla.” Asparuh sure wasn’t in a hurry to find a replacement anyhow.

“Weak minded indeed. I could penetrate most of their minds without even trying to with legilimency. No blockage or struggle. It is almost boring,” Asparuh rolled his cold eyes. “The Golden Age. Those were the days. If I had a time-turner, I would relive those days. Before the half-blood twerp. Before this.” Asparuh glared at most of the members on the family tree. Asparuh thought for a moment. Was he doubting Danielle? “I could be.” That was his only response. There was no way to tell if Asparuh thought like that, or if he were kidding around.

 

[Danielle Zhefarovich]

Danielle raised an eyebrow when Asparuh explained that there was an engagement between someone that was a Half-blood within the family, she did't need to say anything because she was sure her expression spoke for her. Danielle was a bit surprised that Asparuh would allow this but kept quiet because she felt it wasn't really much of her business what she thought when it came to his Family's Marriage affairs. "Are you going to give her that mark?" Danielle knew all to well about the mark that most members received when they became family members, she had heard about it many times and had and even seen the mark on Asparuh's back once or twice sometime during the past. It was an interesting mark, Danielle could barely imagine how it must have felt to have it put upon someone....sounded like it hurt a little or something.

When Asparuh stated that he sought out new people to fill the role that Liyla had given him and rolled her blue eyes softly, it came no surprise to her that they failed him. "Even I could have told you that, we all know how hard you are to 'satisfy'." Danielle smirked slightly brushed some of the silky blonde hair that had fallen into her face away so she could continue to stare at Asparuh with mild amusement. Honestly she had expected nothing less from the last living person from her childhood that she didn't want to kill, he had always been like this and it comforted her to know that he hadn't changed on her like everyone else had. "Then it's not my problem." If he knew of no one then there was really no point in her trying to help him find those distractions, honestly she wasn't very good at things like this so she had no idea how to really help Asparuh in the situation. Whenever she needed a distraction she went to to the Library or something else that she was fond of doing.

"Makes me almost thankful you could never enter mine. But yes, I agree...I would give a lot to go back to those days...then again things aren't completely horrible now either." Danielle fiddled with the Sapphire jewelled Necklace that hung around her neck, oh what was she saying but of course thing were way better then they are now. During the Golden Age she was a lot more respected and she far more youthful that she was today, Voldemort never should have been killed off by that pathetic half-blood. Eyes narrowing and her temper beginning to arise just a little bit further when Asparuh said that he could be doubting her, was he trying to challenge her because that didn't settle well in her system. "Are you trying to to Challenge Asparuh? Because remember what happen last time you did?! I could so take you any time and place and you very well know that, so why don't you take your doubts somewhere else?!" Danielle's eyes flashed darkly as she advanced on Asparuh, her finger pointing at him as she expressed her obvious annoyance at him doubting her. Oddly enough he was much bigger than her, and could probably do a lot of damage to her but she didn't care because she was beyond riled up at the moment because of him.

 

[Asparuh Zhefarovich III]

Asparuh murmured, "If I am the Patriarch once they are wed for six months and six weeks, then I am to be the one who gives the brand upon the half-blood's shoulder. If not, then it will be Kalif unless I have to teach him how to brand." Asparuh glanced down at the tree, and he glared at the light blue name. It was disgusting. But, it was something that had to be done. Once the wedding had taken place, he could read her history and see if this Kailey Paramore is worth the Zhefarovich connections. It would hurt a lot, and Asparuh would make sure it would hurt twice as much, just because she bares that light blue name.

With a roll of his eyes, the black, cold stare met Danielle's once more. "Just informing you as I normally would. I do not expect your pity or it to become an issue of yours." Asparuh's eyes seemed to reflect a little bit of anger behind them, yet it was unknown to him as to why he was a little angry. Was it because Liyla was dead? Asparuh held no strings to the dead woman. He inclined his head to the fire, and he recalled his training. No emotions, no fears, no attachments. He had to live by them, and he wasn't about to break them just of one woman's death. Asparuh did not even know why she even loved him so much. All he did was reject her love, and use her for her blood. After the death of Lilivek and Tsvetanka failing as a pure-blood, Liyla almost came running into his life. Fate brought her young self to him, to spread the pure-blood line. Asparuh realized then, that was all he ever wanted out of her. Liyla was worthy enough to produce the future Patriarch, he had to give her some credit.

"I suppose you are correct on that," spoke the Death Eater. When her temper flared up, Asparuh could not resist the smirk that painted upon his features. His eyes narrowed in upon hers, just seeing the anger. It was something amusing, but what wasn't was her pointing at him. The closeness of her hand, it set off a little warning in Asparuh's brain. His training from back when he was a kid kicked in. Danielle was lucky that Asparuh just barely missed her throat as his hand used gravity on her collar-bone to slam her into the ground. He had his knee bent down and Asparuh realized exactly what he was doing. Asparuh warned, "You should know better, closeness of your hand while yelling will set off the training I have instilled in my head. You are lucky I did not grab you by the throat, as I am trained to have crushed it while performing this move." Asparuh removed his hand from her collar-bone, and he would be shocked if she didn't have a bruise on her body after this. Slowly, he stood up, and backed away a good three feet, in case something triggered another one of his training flashbacks.

 

[Danielle Zhefarovich]

Danielle had nearly forgotten that Kalif was planned to be the next Patriarch until Asparuh the IV was old enough to take the position, it surprised her to hear Asparuh acknowledge that he wouldn't end up being the Patriarch forever. "How long is it before you plan on stepping down as Patriarch?" Danielle asked in a light tone as her blue orbs shifted from Asparuh back to the Family Tree, it would be different but oddly enough she trusted that Kalif could handle it. As far as it was planned for her she wasn't stepping down anytime soon. The way it looks now, Gabrielle would receive the title as Head unless Danielle was able to have another female child within the next couple of years that was thought to be able to handle the position. As low as it almost sounded, she wanted another female to keep the title for awhile to keep the status of woman higher until it was permanently marked into the family.

"I hope you realize it often becomes my problem anyways." She shrugged, usually was Asparuh was in a bad or was stressed out it often cause her to become just as stressed. However it seemed like the issue couldn't really be helped by her so she wished him luck on actually ever resolving it with him being as picky and stubborn as he often was. Detecting anger that reflecting in his eyes Danielle became curious and amused all at once, she thought she knew why he was upset but was unsure if it would be wise for her to be verbal about it. "You know...it is okay to hold attachment in life Asparuh. Just as long as it doesn't cloud your common sense, there is really no harm." She guessed it was because he thought he had attachment or he was thinking of Liyla for some reason, it made her grow curious about what was exactly running through his head right now. Although Danielle was cold-hearted and cruel she could admit love existed and that she might have be capable of it if the right person had come along but she doubted that any person could walk into her head or heart like that without rousing that awful temper she had. Danielle could care less if she fell in love or not, as long as she didn't become a fool about it she figured she would be okay.

Danielle's anger rose even more if possible when Asparuh smirked at her when she began to flip out at him for his doubts that he had against her, she hated it when he smirked because it meant that she wasn't doing much to get through his head that she wasn't one to be doubted. Instead she was only amusing him. Her anger was short lived as well because within a second noticed Asparuh had used his hand to grab her collar bone and slam her down onto the floor roughly. Seeing as she was far smaller than he was and couldn't really use physical combat to her advantage against him it was far to easy for her to get taken down by him. "Ack! What the hell is your problem?!" Danielle wasn't fairly injured or anything but it still hurt and her body was overcoming the shock that it had felt when she was slammed down like that. After a moment she relaxed and slowly pushed herself up before she dusted off her dress and stared at Asparuh coldly, who happened to have backed up a little after he pushed her down. "You know very well I would never attack you without reason, I swear to god Asparuh you need to relax." Danielle hissed as she brushed her dress off to make sure it had not gotten dirty or all wrinkled when she was slammed to the floor by Asparuh. Once she had finished brushing it off she felt bad for yelling at him because it was part of his training and it was pretty much programmed into his system, but she hated when she looked weak or was overpowered by someone. "I find it a little unfair you did that, you know I can't fight you physically. You are making me very frustrated right now.." Danielle's eyes were lit up with fury and she was pretty sure that if she wasn't willing herself to calm down she would be shaking with fury at him right now, her gaze was harsh and she was pretty sure she looked slightly less angelic than she usually did.

 

[Asparuh Zhefarovich III]

"Not stepping down. Stepping aside. There is a position for those Patriarch's that step aside for the next to control the throne, and it is equal in respect," stated Asparuh. As long as he was alive, he would command just as much respect out of everyone as he had been for the past three decades or more. The positions in this family, for that of a Patriarch and the Head, it was rare for anyone under the age of thirty - or forty for the Patriarch - to assume the position. Asparuh was simply forty when he stepped up. He was young at the time, but he was not as reckless as he was when he was half that age. Asparuh had wised up over his years, controlled his anger and managed to control his psychosis that he was diagnosed with.

"You should not feel the way I do, Danielle. It is harmful to your own health." Asparuh wondered though, how did it become her problem? He often did not tell her what was bothering him. She often knew somehow. Asparuh was not that easy to read, but she had grown up with him, around him, since he was ten-years-old. Asparuh shook his head and he muttered, "I was raised to hold no attachments. As soon as Kalif learns this, only then will he assume the title of Patriarch. I assume that Namina had made him forget much of his training." The witch. Asparuh was glad - if not happy if the man could feel that - that he killed her. No one even knew where he had put the bodies. It was quite remarkable really. Asparuh wanted nothing less but for Kalif to learn that in this family, it is best not to hold attachments to anyone outside of the family. Asparuh did not hold attachments even for the family, actually. Though as tight as they were, as protective as they were of each other, it was just their nature. Their Zhefarovich nature.

Asparuh rolled his eyes at Danielle's reaction. Whereas when she was showing a hell of a lot of emotion and anger, he revealed absolutely nothing. He was as blank as a marble statue. Asparuh was not one to take to being yelled at or scolded to. He did not tolerate those things for too long. "When something like that triggers, I don't have time to think. As I said, you were lucky." Asparuh approached Danielle, feeling a bit of wrath in him from her own anger. Fair? He'll show her what fair was. Life was everything but. Asparuh could very well teach her that, here and now. He reached out and grabbed Danielle by the front of her dress, and pulled her small body close to his own. Asparuh murmured, "I'll deal with you upstairs then." Without a protest of any sort, Asparuh smirked slightly, deviously - a look he often gave to those he was about to kill or maim; and Asparuh apparated upstairs.

 

[Danielle Zhefarovich]

Danielle let her gaze fall to the floor as she thought about what Asparuh said carefully, stepping side wasn't nearly as bad as stepping down was but she still had to admit that she wasn't fond of the idea of seeing anyone but Asparuh as the Patriarch of the Zhefarovich Family. Kalif could most likely handle it, she had no doubt about that it was just merely that she wasn't so fond of the idea of change like that, it was drastic and would take time getting used to something so big occurring in her life like that. Just as big as the first day she remembered that Asparuh had become the Patriarch so many years ago, she remembered how much she was worried about him changing then too.

"But I do. My health is already bad enough, so there is no need to dwell on it." By that she meant her infertility already had caused so many problems, on top of that she swore she was losing more and more of her sanity as the years went on. Danielle was beginning to let the effects of her age and the stress her family gave her was starting to catch up with her quite quickly and she was becoming a little more heartless as it all took affect of her too. Nodding her head she acknowledge that she knew how Asparuh was raised, even if she disagreed she respected his families teachings and his opinions on certain topics but the part about Kalif and his attachments made her raise an eyebrow. 'What about that woman he is married to?' Somehow she figured that he might hold some sort of attachment towards her whether he made it obvious to others or not, it seemed really like Asparuh was the only one she had ever met that was sturdy enough to keep attachment out of his head and out of his heart for the time being. Danielle prayed that god have mercy on anyone who ever dared to capture that mans heart, it would truly be a messy sight to see.

Already extremely angered by what he had done, what he said didn't do much to relieve her anger either. On top of it he showed no emotion which brought her fury to a strong halt, she was able to quickly catch on that his mood was starting to change to rival hers just slightly. Danielle did feel lucky that she was alive, but that didn't change the fact that he had done that when he knew very well she would never hurt him or cause him harm without him giving her a strong reason to ever do so. "Bulls-" She didn't have time to say or think much before Asparuh came closer and gripped the front of her dress before she was forcibly pulled close to him, to most woman it would be a dream come true to be so close to him..but Danielle knew better from all those years of knowing him. Either she was in serious trouble or he had had broken his word and was about to destroy an ally. "Asparuh, what the hell are you doing? Let me go!" she struggled until he said something about dealing with her upstairs then, and that made her blood run cold and if possible her pale skin grow even more pale. Usually he only brought people up there to torture or kill them, and that smirk of his didn't help her case much either. Within a moments notice he had apparated off with her, where her fate would be ultimately decided.